Seminars

Abstract

The modern electronic components are rigid, solid, and stiff – a terrible match for soft, squishy, and deformable tissue such as human skin or inner organs such as the brain. The material mismatch results in the conceptual incompatibility of modern electronics with biological tissue. Nanoscale materials, such as graphene and other 2D materials, on the other hand, are unique constructs: in addition to their apparent unobtrusive atomic thickness, they are flexible, transparent, and biocompatible, matching perfectly with biological tissue.

In this talk, I will introduce state-of-the-art wearable and implantable bioelectronic technologies and expose their limitations. After uncovering the limits of modern bioelectronic technologies, I will introduce to the audience how can we empower the next-generation medical devices using 2D materials (graphene, MoS₂, PtSe₂, PtTe₂, hBN, and other emerging ones). Specifically:

• I will show how graphene-based microelectrode arrays and field-effect transistors can be used to efficiently communicate with neuronal cells or construct biosensors (e.g., for COVID-19);
• I will introduce atomically thin electronic tattoos made of graphene and PtTe₂ that can be used to non-invasively monitor human electrophysiology, including complex biomarkers such as arterial blood pressure;
• I will show our recent progress in creating biocompatible artificial transistors that mimic biological synapse behavior and provide the route toward a fully morphed brain-like electronic system.
• Wearable e-tattoo transistors as signal pre-amplifiers and sweat biosensors;
• Soft biocompatible artificial synaptic transistors capable of mimicking electrochemical neuronal behavior.
• The concept of intradermal nanoelectronics, which will essentially enable direct integration of the nanoscale electronic components with the tissue, creating life-long tissue implants and smart cyborg organs.